Luckybreak wrote:1 - I like Michalek but don't know if he fits on the team with the development of Despres and retaining Nisky (who unlike Z has thrived in Pittsburgh). Assuming Despres starts 3rd pairing with Engel I don't seeLetang-Orpik / Letang-MichalekMichalek-Nisky / Orpik-Niskyas addressing the problems (mainly lack of size) exposed in the playoffs.

Okay, Michalek "thrived" in Pittsburgh the year before last. So, to say Nisky thrived after one decent season is a stretch. What happens next season if he reverts to the Nisky form that had people chasing him out of town before last season?

I like and want to keep Michalek. He just needs the right paring to allow him to settle back into his role as shot blocker extraordinaire. I also believe that Niskanen earned another chance with his play last season. IMO, if they can find a way to move Martin this summer, they will. I seriously don't know what that means for the umpteen other d-mn the Pens have! I like Engelland as both a defender and fighter, but also think Despres needs a full time role. There really doesn't seem to be room for any UFA here. Do they make a BOLD move and trade Letang for Bobby Ryan (or similar)??

Luckybreak wrote:1 - I like Michalek but don't know if he fits on the team with the development of Despres and retaining Nisky (who unlike Z has thrived in Pittsburgh). Assuming Despres starts 3rd pairing with Engel I don't seeLetang-Orpik / Letang-MichalekMichalek-Nisky / Orpik-Niskyas addressing the problems (mainly lack of size) exposed in the playoffs.

Okay, Michalek "thrived" in Pittsburgh the year before last. So, to say Nisky thrived after one decent season is a stretch. What happens next season if he reverts to the Nisky form that had people chasing him out of town before last season?

I like and want to keep Michalek. He just needs the right paring to allow him to settle back into his role as shot blocker extraordinaire. I also believe that Niskanen earned another chance with his play last season. IMO, if they can find a way to move Martin this summer, they will. I seriously don't know what that means for the umpteen other d-mn the Pens have! I like Engelland as both a defender and fighter, but also think Despres needs a full time role. There really doesn't seem to be room for any UFA here. Do they make a BOLD move and trade Letang for Bobby Ryan (or similar)??

I said I like Michalek, never said he played badly, and that was not my point. My point was (as you also said) that Nisky earned a spot, Engel is great in his role, Despres needs to be playing, and even if Martin is moved we have not addressed the perceived lack of size on D.

The closest thing to 'the right pairing' for Michalek is presumably Orpik for a shutdown unit, but then who would Letang partner? Whilst I think Michalek is great it seems a choice must be made between retaining Nisky or keeping Michalek as they don't both fit, otherwise the team will face the same issues being dominated in their own end.

Niskanen is thriving here because when Zubov left Dallas, Niskanen was un-sheltered from the ridiculousness of being thrown out as a first pair D guy at a super young age with no real support. Make no mistake about it for him in Dallas. He performed until he was put on his own, killing his confidence/play. I don't think he'd have to worry about that here.

shmenguin wrote:unless kennedy also likes the smell of cocaine, i don't see how him and richards are comparable.

still waiting to hear an example of a guy getting traded just for the sake of making other guys uncomfortable

Carter and Richards traded out to make room for a perceived upgrade (Bryzgalov) in addition to telling the team that only the Cup was acceptable. Kennedy trade to make room for an upgrade-more physical third-liner (Gaustad or similar) that can play the PK in addition to telling the team that only the Cup is acceptable. I fail to see how the situations aren't comparable aside from scale. Sure Carter and Richards were causing their own problems but frankly the problems were used by the media as an excuse for the shake up; they were traded to shake up the structure of the team but the media didn't want to hear it. Additionally, there's no one in the forward corps that's easily singled out, but they were a large part of the defensive problems. So the options are to throw your hands up and say "let's just blame it on the coach and hope it gets sorted out next year" or do something about it. If you pick the latter, who do you move then? Guys that play with and make the superstars comfortable? Guys who actually take special teams time? Not saying you have to make a move, but if you're in the camp that the status quo isn't working, as I am, then the suggestion merits actual consideration.